Better At Work with Cathal Quinlan

The Hidden Reason Your Team Isn't Working | Colin Fisher

Better At Work with Cathal Quinlan

Show Notes

Colin Fisher went from touring the world as a jazz trumpet player to becoming one of the leading researchers on group dynamics at UCL. His new book, The Collective Edge, reveals why the structure around your team matters more than the talent inside it. In this episode, Colin shares the surprising research behind why orchestra musicians are less satisfied than prison guards, introduces the "California Tomorrow" problem for goal-setting, and explains why 93% of leadership teams can't even agree on how many people are on the team. We also cover: the optimal team size (it's 4.6), how to "relaunch" teams that are stuck, why competition between teammates is playing with fire, and why the best coaches ask questions instead of diagnosing. Key topics: group dynamics, psychological safety, team composition, goal clarity, conformity vs. creativity, competition, team coaching, relaunches. Book: The Collective Edge by Colin Fisher (available now)Connect with Colin: colinamfisher.com | @ColinMFisher on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, BlueSky Subscribe for new episodes every Thursday at 7am. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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